From the New York Times bestselling author of Big Lies in a Small Town It is 1960 in North Carolina and the lives of Ivy Hart and Jane Forrester couldn't be more different. Fifteen-year-old Ivy lives with her family as tenants on a small tobacco farm, but when her parents die, Ivy is left to care for her grandmother, older sister, and nephew. As she struggles with her grandmother's aging, her sister's mental illness, and her own epilepsy, she realizes they might need more than she can give. When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County's newest social worker, she is given the task of recommending which of her clients should be sterilized without their knowledge or consent. The state's rationalization is that if her clients are poor, or ill, or deemed in some way "unfit" they should not be allowed to have children. But soon Jane becomes emotionally invested in her clients' lives, causing tension with her new husband and her supervisors. No one understands why Jane would want to become a caseworker for the Department of Public Health when she could be a housewife and Junior League member. As Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm―secrets much darker than she would have guessed. Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing a life-changing battle. Necessary Lies is the story of these two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. Jane and Ivy are thrown together and must ask themselves: How can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it's wrong? "This enthralling novel transfixed me from the very first pages." --Christina Schwarz, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Drowning Ruth """Necessary Lies "shines!" --Lesley Kagen, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Mare's Nest ""Expertly intertwines history and matters of the heart - love, loyalty and choosing what is right, no matter the consequences." --Heather Gudenkauf, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Weight of Silence & One Breath Away ""Diane Chamberlain's "Necessary Lies" is the most important book she has ever written." --Dorothea Benton Frank, "New York Times "bestselling author of "Porch Lights" DIANE CHAMBERLAIN is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-five novels published in over fifteen languages. Her books include Big Lies in a Small Town, The Stolen Marriage and The Dream Daughter. She lives in North Carolina with her partner, photographer John Pagliuca, and her sheltie, Cole. Necessary Lies By Diane Chamberlain St. Martin's Press Copyright © 2014 Diane Chamberlain All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-250-05451-7 JUNE 22, 2011 1 Brenna   It was an odd request—visit a stranger’s house and peer inside a closet—and as I drove through the neighborhood searching for the address, I felt my anxiety mounting. There it was: number 247. I hadn’t expected the house to be so large. It stood apart from its neighbors on the gently winding road, flanked on either side by huge magnolia trees, tall oaks, and crape myrtle. It was painted a soft buttery yellow with white trim, and everything about it looked crisp and clean in the early morning sun. Every house I’d passed, although different in architecture, had the same stately yet inviting look. I didn’t know Raleigh well at all, but this had to be one of the most beautiful old neighborhoods in the city. I parked close to the curb and headed up the walk. Potted plants lined either side of the broad steps that led up to the wraparound porch. I glanced at my watch. I had an hour before I needed to be back at the hotel. No rush, though my nerves were really acting up. There was so much I hoped would go well today, and so much of it was out of my control. I rang the bell and heard it chime inside the house. I could see someone pass behind the sidelight and then the door opened. The woman—forty, maybe? At least ten years younger than me—smiled, although that didn’t mask her harried expression. I felt bad for bothering her this early. She wore white shorts, a pink striped T-shirt, and tennis shoes, and sported a glowing tan. She was the petite, toned, and well-put-together sort of woman that always made me feel sloppy, even though I knew I looked fine in my black pants and blue blouse. “Brenna?” She ran her fingers through her short-short, spiky blond hair. “Yes,” I said. “And you must be Jennifer.” Jennifer peered behind me. “She’s not with you?” she asked. I shook my head. “I thought she’d come, but at the last minute she said she just couldn’t.” Jennifer nodded. “Today must be really hard for her.” She took a step back from the doorway. “Come on in,” she said. “My kids are done with school for the summer, but they have swim-team practice this morning, so we’re in luck. We have the house to ourselves. The kids are always too full of questions.” “Thanks.” I walked past her into the foyer. I was gl